Prohibition
Significance of the Prohibition Period
The Prohibition period was a significant time in the United States (US) history because there was a nationwide Prohibition on the manufacture, transportation, and trade of alcohol (Hall, 2010). The national Prohibition was brought about by the temperance movement, which advocated for moderation and to the extreme complete abstinence from alcohol consumption (Smith, 2017). This movement began amassing following in the 1820s. By the 20th century, they gained a massive following that was central in the push for the Prohibition at both local, state, federal levels.
The other significance of this period is that led to organized crime in the United States. While the eighteenth amendment was passed with the hopes of eliminating alcohol consumption, it failed (Hall, 2010). The people found loopholes in the anti-liquor laws, which made them turn into illegal ways of availing alcohol to the masses (Hall, 2010). There was the emergence of organized crime syndicates that coordinated the complex chain operation of manufacturing and distribution of alcohol (Smith, 2017). Besides, corruption was high because law enforcers had to be bribed to avoid interfering with the illegal business.
Similarity and Differences between St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and Today’s Terrorists
The similarity between St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and today’s terrorist is on the operational tactics. Modern terrorists employ violence, which includes the use of guns and explosives to either injure or kill people. For the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, seven men were shot dead by men dressed police uniforms (Hall, 2010). However, the difference between the two crimes is the motive of the act. For instance, modern-day terrorists attack for political objectives. On the contrary, for the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, the men were eliminated with the motive of controlling the illegal trade of prostitution, gambling, and bootlegging (Smith, 2017).
References
Hall, W. (2010). What are the policy lessons of National Alcohol Prohibition in the United States, 1920-1933? Addiction, 105(7), 1164-1173. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.02926.x
Smith, M. (2017). Questioning Similarities: Prohibition in the United States and Finland. American Studies in Scandinavia, 49(1), 3-18. doi: 10.22439/asca.v49i1.5460